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Pack a knife and fork on your way down to Whitianga this August, because the second Whitianga Scallop Festival will take place in the town from 24-27 August.

Last year's festival was a resounding success with all tickets snapped up and around 6,000 people in attendance over the weekend.

Punters ate fresh, sweet, fat scallops fresh from the Coromandel waters washed down with local sauvignon and chardonnay. Scallops were crumbed in macadamia nuts, served on kebabs, deep fried or seared, drenched in midori and cooked in coconut cream.

Plenty of other Coromandel cuisine was consumed at the festival on top of the 35,000 scallops - wild pork, seafood chowder, venison burgers and local wines were all on the menu.

Tickets for the festival will go on sale from May 1, and ticket selling outlets will be announced in April. Tickets this year will include a glass of wine in the price.

For more information: www.scallopfestival.co.nz